School: Castlepollard Boys (roll number 5513)

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1. The Fairy Daly

   

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   In the Townland of Ballycomoyle, three miles or so north of Castlepollard there lived a family named Daly. They were comfortable farmers, and the family included a couple of boys, one of whom was called Jack. One Sunday accompanied by a few other lads they went gathering nuts on the Hill of Mweel (Cnoc Maoile) which is about three miles as the crow flies from Daly's house. Late in the evening having their pillow cases filled with hazelnuts they decided to go home and began to shout for Daly who earlier in the day became separated from them. They continued shouting until they were almost hoarse but the missing lad made no reply for he had fallen asleep somewhere earlier in a nice mossy place and after he had gathered his bag full of nuts.
   The others returned home and suspected to find that the missing lad had returned before them but on inquiring discovered that he had not reached home. His parents became anxious as darkness fell and were about to set out on a search when he landed. They prepared a nice tea but he would have none of it and some of the neighbours who came to ceilidhe remarked that there seemed something queer about him, far from being an impudent, talkative lad he became morose and quiet and would make hardly any reply to their questions. Thinking that he was tired and ill after long day's outing he was put to bed. The next morning when the family arose early for breakfast

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   Transcribed by a member of our volunteer transcription project.

   History Edit

   Language

   English

   Informant

   Patrick Doherty

   Gender

   Male

   Address

   Freaghmore, Co. Westmeath